New build and new user

I just finished building the frame, installing the hardware and cutting the final sled.

Here is my failures, set backs and observations

I built the default frame. Didn’t have much of a problem.

It might be easier to have the part names and measurements added to the picture of the frame.
I am feet and inches type of person. That is just me.

The hardware install.

It would be helpful to number the bags of screws.
Another thing it might be nice is have a hardware list.
I lost a couple of screws and the set screw for zdrive.
With a hardware list it would be easier to replace.

It would be nice to have the sled build and z build together.

Electronics.
They need to cover the power connection on the Arduino. I plugged the power in to it. The servo motors didn’t work. Thought it was fried.

The final sled ordeal
I had lots of problems.
1> used the wrong bit. I got 1/8 bit really a pain. Something wasn’t lined up right on the temporary sled. I broke 2 bits and had 3 come out of the collet.

2> the screw came out of the zdrive coupler. The bit never lifted.

3> z zero not set right. Did not know i could set on ground control home screen.

4> 1/8 bit dosen’t have enough length to cut 3/4 plywood.

5> I couldn’t get it to cut all the way thru. Had to cut with a jig saw and drill through the holes.

The problems I had. I just about gave up. Thought it was POS.

But l learned alot. How to use ground control.

My recommendations

Building the frame.

1)have the part names and measurements on the photo diagram.

Electronics

  1. cover hole for power on the Arduino board

Ground control.

  1. get away from Kivy for windows. Have a really nice notebook can’t use it because of open GL 1.1. Tried everything.

2)distribute an raspberrypi image of a working Kivy that boots in without a password. So you just have to copy it to a micosd card and go. I tried everything to get kivy to work on the raspberry.

Build instructions and kit

  1. since the z drive comes with the kits combine the instructions.

2)number the screw bag include it in the instructions.

  1. have a parts diagram and hardware list.

  2. sell a bag on the website with a few of each of the screws

Cutting the final sled.

  1. recommend bits

Web site and forums

1)Have a section for tips and tricks. So you can find a solution for a problem without having to search the whole forums

  1. have a few simple projects for the beginner and new user. Take them thru the whole process. Plans>>>makercam>>>gcode>>>ground control

3)have a thingiverse for cnc routers

That my 2 cent. I hope i didn’t offended anyone. I appreciate everyone hard work on the maslowcnc. You have a good product.


First carving

7 Likes

One thing is for sure, you have to read, read, and read some more about everything involved before hitting the power button.

1 Like

Hi Larry!
I really appreciate your suggestions and feedback, I will definitely incorporate some of your suggestions in future kits, feedback like this is what help us grow our service. We’re already working on a printed quick setup guide, and adding more info to our website.
In the meantime, people can check out the parts list with pictures HERE
Please check out the box, on the outside should be a nylon envelop saying Parts List.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need any help.

Best Regards
Gab

I’ll second the issues with Kivy. I spent the better part of a Saturday trying to get a pretty good windows 10 laptop working with ground control with no success. My HP dv7 PC has Open GL 3.0, and even when I hacked the application to accept the version I had, it still didn’t work right. Through testing of several other machines, it seems like the issue is with Intel HD graphics built into the chip. Machines like my HP dv8 with their own graphics cards seem unaffected.

It seems like this problem can be corrected through several mechanisms.

  1. I know @madgrizzle is working on a WebControl, which implements GC in a non-Kivy application (WebControl Open Beta).
  2. Several people have suggested including a pre-programmed Raspberry-Pi computer with the kits.
  3. There could be some information on the Wiki which communicates “Supported Hardware”, where there is a list of computers which are known to work.